Rotterdam medical students offer cash to jump training queues

Medical students in Rotterdam are resorting to offering cash payments to jump ahead in the queue for limited hospital training slots, as a shortage of spaces leaves many waiting for months or even years to begin their medical training. The bidding process, where the highest bidder gets the earliest start date, has led to some students paying up to €2,000 to secure a spot.

This practice, which has occurred before, is causing frustration among those at the bottom of the waiting list. The shortage of training spaces is a growing concern in the Netherlands, particularly for specialty areas like neurology. Erasmus MC, the hospital in question, has stated that they do not want money to influence who trains first and are considering tightening rules on swaps.

Students who wait the longest may be eligible for compensation from a university fund for study delays beyond their control.